Glimpses
by Ryah Ignis
Summary: Moments in the lives of our favorite characters that were not shown in the books. Chapter Fourteen: Harry Potter Summary: the boy/who/lived, the chosen/one. Fate's whipping boy, the one in the cupboard under the stairs.
1. Tell Me A Story

**Character: Andromeda Tonks**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Pre-Marauder—Next Generation**

**Summary: Four instances in the life of Andromeda Tonks with the people who meant the most to her, all asking for the same thing.**

**Tell Me a Story**

**"It's like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story."**

**Patrick Rothfuss**

"Tell me a story, Andy, please?" Narcissa begged, eyes wide and pleading.

Andromeda could never resist her sister's puppy-dog eyes, and Narcissa knew it.

"All right," she said grudgingly, setting herself down on her sister's golden coverlet.

Bella took a seat next to her, still running a brush through her thick, shiny hair. Andromeda smirked. At thirteen, her older sister was quite vain.

"You're too soft with her, Andromeda. I'll tell the story tonight," she said with an imperious toss of her now neat locks.

"Once, a wizard and his father lived in a quiet little cottage outside a sleepy town inhabited by Muggles."

"Muggles?" asked Narcissa, her voice trembling as she snuggled closer to Andromeda, who draped an arm comfortably around her.

Bellatrix grinned, showing each and every one of her teen.

"Yes, Muggles, and filthy ones at that. They could not do a thing by themselves. They came to the young wizard's father night and day, begging for cures for their silly little father, being the simpleminded fool he was, agreed. You see, he had told the villagers that his source of power was his kindly little pot he kept in his kitchen. Not one villager suspected he was a wizard. So, day after day and year after year, the father made the Muggles better and received nothing in return."

"They didn't pay him?" asked Narcissa indignantly.

"Not a Knut," Bellatrix said. "Eventually, all his weakness caught up with him and the old man died, leaving his son the little golden pot and a note, telling him to continue to aid the hapless Muggles who came to him. The wizard did the sensible thing and chucked it in the fire.  
"Not yet a week had gone by since his father's passing when a woman asked him to cure her daughter's warts.  
'Begone!' yelled the wizard. 'I care not if your brat has more warts than a toad.'  
Yet the woman continued to pester him, until finally, fed up with her, he whipped out his wand and cured her"

"He cured a Muggle?" asked Narcissa.

"That he did. The woman screamed when she realized his powers did not come from the little pot after all. Pleased that he'd finally gotten rid of her, the wizard collapsed in his favorite armchair to sleep. Hours later, there was a knock at the door. The wizard left his wand on his chair and answered it. The townspeople ambushed him"

"What happened?" squealed Narcissa, burrowing deeper under Andromeda's arm.

"They hung him," Bellatrix said simply. "Now, Cissy, what is the moral of this story "

"Don't leave your wand behind?"

"No, but never do it Cissy."

"Do as your father says?"

"No."

"Avoid Muggles?" asked Andromeda tentatively.

"Absolutely Andy."

Andromeda couldn't help but think that she liked the other version she'd read in the school library just the tiniest bit better.

~o0o~

"Tell me a story, Andromeda."

Andromeda looked sideways at her friend, lying in the sun-baked grass beside her. She and Ted had opted to leave the neatly manicured grounds behind in favor of a grassy hillside dotted with flowers just beyond the lake. That way, they could spend the afternoon interrupted. Andromeda didn't even want to think about what would happen if Cissy found out and wrote Bella. She's find Ted's body in pieces

"A story?" she asked.

"You know, the things mothers tell their children before they go to bed at night?" Ted asked teasingly.

"My mother was never much of a nurturer," Andromeda commented absently. "What kind of story?"

He shrugged.

"All right. This was one of few stories that my mother used to tell, because it's about my namesake Andromeda. See, there was this queen who thought her daughter was even more beautiful than the gods. Angered by this, the gods gave her a missive: sacrifice her daughter or her kingdom. She could only give up her daughter. The king and queen chained Andromeda to a rock by the sea so that a sea monster could devour her. Andromeda cringed, sure the end was near as the monster rose from the waves. Just when she thought she was finished, a brave hero named Perseus swooped from the skies and saved her. Andromeda left her family behind."

Ted's eyes sparkled as he moved closer.

"Why don't I be your Perseus and unchain you from those pureblood sea monsters, then?"

He kissed her, and all Andromeda could think of was the look on her mother's face if she knew.

~o0o~

"Tell me a story, Mum?"

Eight-year-old Nymphadora Tonks bounced around her bedroom, excited at the prospect. Andromeda smiled.

"Of course. Settle down first, love."

Nymphadora snuggled deep into her covers and Andromeda could only think of the same expression that Cissy had worn.

"Three sisters walked along a deserted path at twilight. A man strayed into their way. This man was fate, and he asked each sister what they would sacrifice everything for. The first sister boldly announced that she would sacrifice everything for her cause. Fate nodded proudly and let her pass. The second sister timidly said she would sacrifice everything for duty.

'A noble cause," said Fate, and the second sister passed.

The third sister didn't hesitate to say love. Fte allowed her passage as well. The three sisters went on their own ways. The first sister lost her sanity, family and freedom to the cause she had so brazenly defended. And so the first sister fell into darkness. The second sister lasted longer than the first, but she was trapped in a loveless marriage with no escape in sight. Sadly, the second sister fell into despair. The third sister, however, met the man she had always been destined to be with, and Fate looked on with a small smile."

Nymphadora smiled broadly, showing a row of jack-o-lantern teeth.

"I like that story, Mum. Like the three brothers except not."

Andromeda chuckled and put her daughter to bed. She wouldn't have traded this for the world. Narcissa and Bellatrix would never understand.

~o0o~

"Tell me a story, Gramma," Teddy said.

Andromeda smoothed his hair back. His forehead was still burning hot.

"I don't know," she said, eyes finding the clock. "You still have a fever and it's late…"

"Please?"

He looked at her with that same pleading expression that Dora, that Narcissa had always worn, and Andromeda felt her heart break.

"Just one. There was once a little girl. She had two sisters who held her up. Together, they stood not eh pedestal that had been created for them at birth. They remained there for many years, as happy as could be. Then the little girl fell in love. Right before her eyes, the pedestal of lies was shattered. Her sisters pushed her away and turned their backs, but the little girl didn't mind. Time marched on, and the little girl had a little girl of her own, who grew up and finally had a son, just like you."

She tapped her grandson's nose and he giggled.

"That's not a very long story, Gramma."

"No it's not, darling. Do you want to hear another?"


	2. All Hallow's Eve

**Character: Lily Potter**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Marauder**

**Summary: Lily Evans loved Halloween. So it was Fate's cruel joke that it was the night she was murdered.**

**All Hallow's Eve**

**"Love is sacrificing everything for the one you love no matter what the circumstances."**

**Jeremy Limn**

Lily Evans had always loved Halloween. When she was a girl, it had been an escape into a reality that was not her own, a chance to be bolder, brighter, flicked on like a light so that she'd practically glowed. She and Petunia had dressed in matching costumes, unafraid for once of what the night held. It couldn't hurt her.

Then, she'd gotten the Hogwarts letter. She'd become that bright, glowing fantasy of a girl all the time because she _was _magic. Just like the holiday.

Still, Halloween at Hogwarts had not been the same. She couldn't hold the joy of pretending there was such thing as magic when the evidence, floating lanterns and pumpkins as tall as she was, existed. But out here, in the Muggle world, she could pretend once more.

"James? Are you ready for bed?"

She pushed open the door to the living room. To her shock, wisps of smoke darted about the air in perfect ovals. Harry giggled, trying to catch them. Lily laughed, her eyes darting to the book on the sofa.

"I take it you read it, then?" she asked with a smirk.

James looked down at it.

"Great book, but not particularly accurate. Everyone knows that hobbits died out long before that."

Lily covered her ears. "I do _not _want to hear that! As far as I'm concerned, Frodo's relatives are alive and well."

James scooped Harry up from his place on the floor and handed him to her.

"Happy Halloween, Harry," she told him.

James yawned exaggeratedly and reached his hands up to the ceiling, casting his wand down on the couch as he did so. Lily headed for the steps, just as there was a loud crash that resounded through the house. Her heart stopped.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"

Suppressing a small sob, Lily raced up the steps, turning around at the last step, a pleading look in her eyes, but James was already gone, sprinting down the hallway to fight. She moaned. He'd left his wand in the sitting room—and with a thrill of horror, she realized she had, too.

Not pausing to think about the stupidity of her actions, she ran into Harry's room, where she put the little boy in his crib.

"Don't cry, don't cry," she told him, voice rising a note in hysteria.

Panic engulfed her when she heard a thump that could only mean one thing. James. James was dead.

"NO!" she screamed, and Harry wailed even louder.

Tears pouring down her face, threatening to blind her, she pressed her shoulder into the dresser and heaved it in front of the door, desperation giving her strength. Thrusting boxes on top, she knew it was fruitless. She cursed the day she and James had placed Anti-Apperition charms on the house. Peter, the filthy rat, had suggested it. She and James had been amazed at the time. Now she knew better—he'd been setting them up from the start.

"I'm sorry, Harry, she whispered.

The door flew open. He stood, eyes so, so cold, devoid of any mercy but she had to try. For Harry's sake, she had to try. Spreading her arms out wide in front of her, shielding Harry's crib from view, she stood, chin tilted in defiance.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside now."

"Not Harry, please, no, take me, kill me instead—"

"This is my last warning—"

Why was he offering her? No mother would ever let her child die.

"Not Harry! Please, have mercy…have mercy…Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I'll do anything-"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

The green light hurdled at her, and Lily looked at her son one last time, the light reflecting in those green eyes so like her own. Her last thought was that he would never love Halloween, because he'd know it as the night of his parents' murder.


	3. Birth of a Legend

**Character: James Potter**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Marauder **

**Summary: They say friends are forged in fire, but James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were friends formed by a mutual love of seeing people who deserved it get their comeuppance. The first night in the dormitory for legends.**

**Birth of a Legend**

**"A good friend will bail you out of jail. A best friend will be sitting next to you, insisting that you do it again."**

**Author Unknown.**

James yawned as he sauntered into the dormitory for the first time, tossing his tie down on the bed nearest to the window as he did so. Another boy already sat on the bed furthest from the window, his hangings half closed and his nose buried in a thick textbook—History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

"Hi," he said, throwing himself down on the boy's bed.

The other jumped, nearly dropping his book.

"Twitchy, are we?" he asked teasingly.

He looked up, eyes narrowing, but he didn't say anything. James shrugged at Sirius, sprawled on his bed.

"Come on wolfy, what's wrong?" Sirius asked.

He jumped again, eyes widening as he clenched his sheets in his white fingers.

"How-did Dumbledore?-he swore he wouldn't-but-"

Sirius, however, continued without heeding the other's strange reaction. "It's not that much of a stretch. Wolfy makes perfect sense. My mum used to tell myths as bedtime story. I mean, Remus?"

Remus sank back on his bed, his hand on his heart.

"Says the boy who's a walking, talking pun."

Sirius gave a large laugh at that, sounding ridiculously like a dog."I make that joke every single time my mother begins a sentence with 'You can't be serious.'" Then he gazed at the other boy in wonder. "Remus, you made a joke."

He and James exchanged a high-five.

"There's hope for you, after all!"

Peter looked hopefully up from his letter to his mother. If James glanced out of the corner of his eye, he could just barely see the start.

_Dear Mum,_

_You won't believe it! I'm in Gryffindor!"_

Huh. James didn't think it was such a big deal. Before he could ask Peter why he didn't think he could be in Gryffindor, an owl flew in the window, a smoking, red envelope clutched in its beak. Even the owl flinched away from it, taking off as soon as he had landed. Peter dove for cover, flinging his pillowcase over his head. Remus leaped from his bed and slammed the door just in time and slumped against it, ears plugged. Sirius regained the use of his wits and attempted to pounce on the envelope, but he was too late. James stared at it in horrified fascination as it began to speak.

"SIRIUS ORIAN BLACK, HOW _DARE _YOU DISGRACE THE NAME OF BLACK LIKE THIS? I HAD TO HEAR IT FROM NARCISSA! YOU BESMIRCHED THE FAMILY NAME AND DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO WRITE YOUR OWN MOTHER TO TELL HER? I WILL NEVER HEAR THE END OF THIS FROM DRUELLA! YOU WILL HAVE YOUR FATHER AND ME TO ANSWER TO IF YOU EVER WORK UP THE COURAGE TO COME BACK TO THIS HOUSE!"

The letter fell with a sputter and a frightful burst of smoke. Silence reigned in the dormitory. Peter emerged from his pillow, white as the sheets on his bed. Remus returned to his bed and watched Sirius with wide eyes.

"Well, mate, when you said they'd be furious, I didn't think—"

"Neither did I," snapped Sirius bitterly, crumpling the letter in his fist.

Ashes seeped through his fingers as he turned his back on them. James could tell his new friend didn't want them to see him cry, but he couldn't just sit there.

He took a few steps forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, I think this 'Narcissa' needs to learn a lesson."

Sirius smiled, his face clearing at once. Still, his voice was shaky.

"Yeah. She's always been a snitch."

Remus, not wanting to be left out, joined them. Peter hastened over.

"We'll be like Robin Hood!" Peter said excitedly. "Getting revenge for people who can't do it themselves."

Remus looked pained. "Robin Hood's men were called Merry Men."

Sirius grimaced.

"We need something better."

"The Marauders," said Peter quietly.

The boys looked at each other with broad grins.

"The Marauders, it is," James said.


	4. Mirror, Mirror

**Character: Teddy Lupin**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Summary: Teddy Lupin's greatest fear: to be abandoned by his new-found family like he was abandoned by his parents. Sweet moment between Harry and Teddy.**

**Mirror, Mirror**

**"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof."**

**Richard Bach**

He sits alone in front of the mirror, screwing up his face in concentration. His hair goes in an instant from turquoise (it has always been his favorite color) to black, and his eyes go from their traditional brown (like his father's) to green. He bites his lip.

"Teddy?"

The voice is quiet, concerned. Teddy doesn't need to turn around to see the face of his godfather—it's reflected in the mirror. He kneels beside the little boy and stares into the mirror too, and for a moment they remain there, two black-haired, green-eyed orphans staring back at them.

"What's wrong?" Harry asks, though he already knows.

"Nothin'," the little boy insists stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"You're not happy about the new baby, are you?"

At the accusation (it wasn't meant to sound like that, but Teddy can't help but think of it that way) his lip starts to tremble.

"You're scared Ginny and I will forget you."

Harry watches his godson's reaction carefully in the mirror, his heart wrenching at the myriad of emotions that cross his young face. Fear, guilt, loss…Harry knows all those feelings far too well. A five-year-old should never have to deal with any of them.

"You're scared we'll leave, aren't you?"

Teddy's lip tremors even more forcefully and the emerald green eyes begin to fill with tears.

"Mummy and Daddy did."

Harry closes his eyes for a long moment. He had never known quite how to deal with Teddy's parents with him. The Dursleys had been callous when it came to his parents. He had no idea how to deal with this. Cursing fate (not for the first time) he gathered him into his arms.

"You know that isn't true. They were doing what they had to."

He knows this isn't going to help Teddy, and the little boy proves it by burying his face in Harry's jacket.

"Miss 'm," Teddy manages before he completely breaks down.

"I know."

Teddy sobs for a little while longer, and Harry strokes his hair, slowly reverting back to turquoise.

"You won't leave?" he asks quietly.

"Never."

Teddy gets up and Harry offers him his hand.

"Let's go help Ginny paint the baby's room, all right?"


	5. Little Games

**Character: Ginny Weasley**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Trio**

**Summary: Auror Ginny Weasley and her three brothers are caught by Death Eaters while trying to protect their most valuable chess piece. **

**Little Games**

**"In the game of life, it's a good idea to have a few losses early on, which relives you the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season."**

**Lee Trivino**

**Author's Note: This will sound ridiculous. Just keep reading.**

Ginny and Ron raced through the trees, his longer legs giving him the advantage as he sped up, just footsteps behind the twins. Her heart pounded with fear. Death Eaters, here, now? How could this have happened? She was running as fast as she could, but she couldn't keep up with her brothers. They were too fast.

"RON! FRED! GEORGE!"

Among them, only Ron looked back, face ashen with fear but somehow flushed from running at the same time. He tripped over a tree root and barely regained his footing, sprinting along the trail. George stumbled too, but Fred steadied him just in time.

Her feet scrabbled for purchase on the steep hill, one that she had climbed thousands of times. It was inconceivable. How had they gotten past the wards. They had to protect Harry Potter. He was hidden in the forest, and if the Death Eaters found him….

Ginny slipped and fell hard on the ground, her knee bloodying almost instantly. Biting back a cry, she struggled to her feet but she was too late. The Death Eater tackled her, sending her flat on the ground.

"RON!"

He kept running.

"Gotcha," said the Death Eater triumphantly, grasping her forarm to pull her to her feet.

"Let go of me!" Ginny cried, reaching for her wand.

Her wand. Where was her wand? Her fingers scrabbled despretely, but it wasn't there…oh Merlin, why wasn't it there? Panic seized her and she wrenched back and forth but the Death Eater holding her didn't let go.

"What do you want?" she cried.

"I want you to take us to Potter," he growled.

"Never," Ginny spat, but he drew his wand and placed it against her throat.

"Perhaps this will persuade you," he said.

Before he could curse her, Ginny broke. "Fine."

She led them through the trees, limping slightly, steaming that Fred, George and Ron had left her in this mess. And now she was betraying them all? How could she?

The Death Eater's two cronies finally arrived, both panting.

"You got her?" asked the first.

"Yes," said Ginny's captor, but nothing more was said.

Ginny's mind worked at light speed as she struggled to come up with a plan. What could she do, what could she do?

"Move it," he growled when she paused, lost in her thoughts.

They finally came upon a little hut in the woods, where Ginny knew Fred, George, Ron and Harry were hidden.

"Ginny!" cried Ron in relief.

He spotted the Death Eater and threw himself out of the way before he could curse him. Fred and George sprinted out, but they caught the Death Eaters by surprise. Ginny kicked the one holding her in the shins and raced towards Fred, who pulled her behind him.

"He's not here," said Fred, "so you might as well clear out."

The Death Eaters, however, had no intention of 'clearing out'. The first charged Ron, who managed to wrestle the wand out of his hand. The second was disarmed by George, and Fred used Expelliamus on the third. Finally, they all cringed at their feet.

"Good round," said Percy, getting up and dusting off his robes. Ginny giggled. During the game, he had looked scary, but now Percy just looked ridiculous in his too-large black robes, borrowed from their father.

"You always win," complained Charlie.

"And you still care?" asked Bill, shedding his hot costume. "Merlin, Charlie, you're of age."

"Coming of age does not mean that you have to act mature."

Ginny rolled her eyes and bent down to check her knee.

"You're hurt!" exclaimed Bill, kneeling by her side.

"Not badly," Ginny said, trying to cover the wound with her hand. "I'm nine, Bill, I can take care of myself."

Her oldest brother rolled his eyes and hefted her into his arms.

"We'd better have Mum look at that just in case."

The Weasleys made their way back down to the Burrow, unaware that their game would one day become reality.

**And that's why it was so cheesy-it was a game!**


	6. Morning Light

**Character: Ronald Weasley**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Trio**

**Summary: Ron Weasley has a lot to deal with following the Battle of Hogwarts. This is the first day after.**

**Morning Light**

"**When one person is missing the whole world seems empty."**

**Pat Schwwibert **

**7:00 AM May 2, 1998**

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the common room, not saying a word as they stared at the wall. They hadn't bothered to open a window. The Death Eaters had done that for them.

Ron's heart hadn't stopped pounding. Every hair on the back of his neck still stood on end as if someone were breathing down it, and every muscle was taunt, ready to spring. In short, he was a complete nervous wreck. Still, his eyelids felt so heavy, the couch was so soft, he had Hermione by his side and nothing was wrong…stay…awake…Ron….

**8:17 AM May 2****nd****, 1998**

"Ron? Ron could you move your arm?"

He awoke, slowly, groggily. For a vague moment, he wondered why he was in the common room and not the tent. For one vague moment, he thought the events of the past year had been a horrible nightmare.

"Ron," she snapped, a little impatiently.

He blinked. The fantasy world came crashing down around his ears and the pain of Fred's death pierced his heart once more.

"Sorry, Hermione," he said, taking his tingling arm off her shoulders.

He wanted to put it back almost immediately. He'd almost lost her too many times to count. Now—when it seemed that all was well—he was more apprehensive than ever. When had anything in his life ever been as it seemed? Reluctantly, he allowed her to get up.

"Where's Harry?"

"He left about a half hour ago to find Ginny,"

A year ago, Ron would have stormed throughout the castle looking for his baby sister. Now he knew she was more than capable of looking after herself.

"Where are you going?"

"To the library. Madam Pince said she would need help if she was going to save anything."

"I'll come with you."

**11:36 AM May 2****nd****, 1998**

Ron heaved a stack of untouched books on the pile of those that could be saved. It was pitifully small next to the grand number of books that they'd once had, but Mrs. Pince had been glad that any had been salvaged.

There were tears in Hermione's eyes as she sifted through the pile of ash that had once been the Muggle literature section. Ron knelt beside her and dug through he ruin.

"Here's one!" he exclaimed, pulling a book out.

The cover was nearly stripped away; he found part of it a foot away and laid it back on.

"Have you read it?" he asked.

It was, of course, a stupid question. Hermione let out what could only be described as a squeal and hugged it close to her chest like a dear friend.

"To Kill a Mockingbird." She frowned. "Ironic, really. That book was about discrimination."

She began painstakingly piecing together the cover with spellotape—the Dark Magic used to destroy the library made it nearly impossible to fix.

"Hello."

Luna's unearthly voice came from Ron's right.

"Thank goodness you're all right!" said Hermione, standing up and hugging her.

Once Hermione had let go, Luna hugged Ron as well. He stiffened in surprise, but found himself squeezing back.

"You don't' mind looking for Neville, do you?" she asked. "He's spent so long giving orders I don't think he'll listen to me."

"I'll be back in a bit, Hermione, all right?"

She smirked at him. "We're not attached at the hip, Ronald, honestly."

**12:06 PM May 2****nd****, 1998**

"There you are, mate!"

Ron opened the door to the Room of Requirement, still singed, to find a large room bursting with flowers and plants.

"How did you get in here?"

Neville sprawled in the grass, staring up at the fake sky. Ron knew why he'd picked the setting to relax in—the Hogwarts greenhouses had been demolished.

"I was trying to find you and the door opened."

Neville sat up, his fingers still intertwined with the grass.

"Luna wanted to know if you were okay."

Neville laughed, his knuckles growing whiter on the ground.

"I don't know what I am, but okay is not one of those things."

Ron flopped down on the ground next to him with a groan.

"Slept yet?" he asked.

Neville shook his head, eyes fixed on the ground.

"Come on."

Ron hefted his friend to his feet and dragged him out of the room towards the dormitory.

**2:53 PM May 2****nd****, 1998]**

"Mum?"

Molly looked up at the sound of her name, tearstained face immediately breaking into a watery smile.

"Ron!"

She hugged him close to her, tears falling on his back. Ron felt the urge to collapse like a small child, but he knew that the last thing he needed was Rita Skeeter (standing nearby) to photograph a war hero sobbing.

"You were so brave," she murmured.

"I was terrified," he admitted.

She smiled, holding him out at arm's length.

"That's the point, love."

He pulled away after a few moments, unable to take the sight of George staring at the wall anymore. Ron sat down next to him. George didn't say a word.

**3:42 PM May 2****nd****, 1998**

"We beat him, didn't we?"

Ron jumped, free from his stupor at last. George had finally spoken.

"Yeah. We beat him pretty good."

He stretched and stood up.

"We— " here his voice cracked. "—had this planned."

He pulled a small black object from his pocket and pressed a button. A spray of golden fireworks spat from it into the Great Hall ceiling. Everyone looked up in wonder as they exploded. Dragons and phoenixes swooped around, and flowers glittered in the sky.

There were tears on George's face, but he looked more proud than anything.

**5:21 PM May 2****nd****, 1998**

Harry finally made his way into the Great Hall, pushing Rita Skeeter roughly out of his way. Ron stood up.

"Bloody reporter," his friend snarled. "I can't even get one day after getting killed…"

Ginny followed close behind. Harry placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Where's Hermione?"

"Library."

They laughed at that.

"Always her go-to method, huh? Trying to figure out why I'm still standing here?"

"She's putting it back together."

Silence as they all thought about what had brought them here, together at last. Harry sat down next to Molly to talk.

**7:38 PM May 2****nd****, 1998**

"Ron? Do you want to go home?"

Ron stared at his mother in disbelief, blinking back his tiredness. _Home. _It had been so long since he'd slept in his own bed.

"Yeah! Can Hermione and Harry—"

She gave a half smile. "Leaving them here would be like leaving you here."

The entire family gathered in the back of the Great Hall. For the first time in two years, Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ron and Ginny were all together. Ron breathed in deeply. He'd have to get used to counting six instead of seven.

"Ready?" asked Arthur quietly.

"Let's go."

They all arrived at the same time, Ron landing next to Hermione and Harry. Harry rubbed at his eyes.

"Night, Hermione," he said awkwardly.

She kissed him on the cheek, and he went scarlet. He waited for the jeers from Fred and George but—oh. Percy was the one to deliver the taunt.

"Only took you seven years," he said, rolling his eyes.

He and Harry walked up the steps all the way to the room on the top floor, where the crooked Ron sign still was displayed, written in untidy child's scrawl (not that his handwriting had improved much.) He opened the door carefully, as if it would fall off its hinges. The cot Harry stayed on still stayed in the corner.

"You keep it there?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Harry hugged him then, and neither boy wanted to be the first to let go. They'd been through too much in the past twenty-four hours to want to.

"Good night, Ron," he said, falling on his bed fully clothed.

"Good night."

**1:05 PM May 3****rd****, 1998**

It wasn't a good night. Both Harry and Ron were plagued by nightmares. They'd woken each other with screams a couple of times during the night. Harry, used to them, rolled over and fell asleep again almost instantly. Ron remained awake long afterwards, shaking with the memory. Finally, it proved too much for him and he went downstairs to get some tea.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked Hermione.

She already had a teapot in front of her, and an empty cup was at her side.

"George was down here already. I just sent him back up."

"Thanks, Hermione," he said, taking the warm mug and downing half of it.

She rolled her eyes.

They talked late into the night.

**8:09 PM May 3****rd****, 1998**

Molly walked into the kitchen. Both Ron and Hermione were fast asleep, fingers intertwined. She smiled.

**That was hard to write: I cannot write the Trio for some reason. I hope you liked it! Please review.**


	7. With a Cherry on Top

**Character: Parvati Patil**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Summary: Parvati Patil is completely and utterly broken after the war. She just needs someone to put her back together again.**

**With a Cherry on Top**

"**It takes a strong heart to love, but it takes a stronger heart to love after it's been hurt."**

**Unknown  
**

"That's Parvati Patil."

She's famous now, as famous as any of them. She hasn't written a book, hasn't starred in a movie, hasn't sung a hit. She can't write, can't act, can't sing.

She fought when no one else had the courage to. Sometimes, she wishes she hadn't. She still wakes up, screaming for Lavender, for the best friend that had the nerve to go and die when she needed her the most. She still sits for hours, staring at the stars and moon when she can't sleep for fear of the terrors.

Parvati is the shell of the girl she once was. She doesn't giggle or paint her nails. She drifts through this life like a ghost, afraid of what is out there, afraid to face the new world.

She's paranoid, carrying her wand with her, sleeping with it clenched in her fist under her pillow. She duels for practice day and night. She doesn't need a job—there are more than enough people willing to deliver a casserole to the poor, broken war hero.

So many people try to talk to her, try to console her. None of them make her feel better. She's seen too much. She's seen pain and death. She's seen the nature of humans, to turn on each other faster than lions on prey, brother on sister and friend on friend. She finally understands that bitter wisdom in Harry's eyes that he'd worn throughout their shared school days.

Parvati is a broken china vase, unable to be repaired, and swept under the cracks in the floorboards so no one looks at the broken pieces. Bit by bit, people begin to forget about her, and the meals stop coming. They've moved on to new news. She's always known they would.

But Anthony doesn't. He shows up at her house one day, carrying a casserole and a pie, frosted with creamy white frosting with a cherry on top. Parvati has to smile. They talk all night, and well into the next morning until their throats are sore and they can't force another word out. Anthony laughs with a strange wheeze, the curse that hit him in the chest still at work.

He doesn't mind that she has a face marred with a curse of her own. He doesn't mind putting her back together. The quiet little Ravenclaw she had known is gone now. He's still quiet, but it is the quiet of a man lost in his own thoughts, not a little boy too afraid to voice his own opinion.

She grows to live for their little talks, the long, bright afternoons where they sit on her living room floor in the sunlight streaming through the windows, laughing. She never wants him to go away.

The little ring on her finger proves that he will not, and she wears it with pride. She remembers with pain the curly-haired best friend who she'd planned her wedding with. She and Anthony use the plans, sketched out in lipstick during a boring class.

At the alter, he has a cherry tucked in the top of his suit.


	8. Invaluable

**Character: Severus Snape**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge, Names Competition**

**Prompt: German Name, Anton. Meaning, Invaluable. Write about something invaluable.**

**Era: Marauder**

**Summary: Severus Snape, and his friendship with Lily Evans, told year by year.**

**Invaluable**

**"Invaluable: Having value too great to measure, priceless."**

**-Webster's New World Dictionary**

When he was ten, he didn't care about the two girls who came to the park at four sharp every day. He stayed there, despondently swinging back and forth while they played, backs turned, determined not to notice him.

But he noticed her.

It wasn't that she was pretty-it would be years before he thought of her as pretty-or that she was funny or had a nice laugh. It was the aura he could sense, like his mother's, but brighter and stronger, pulsing with life. Her sister didn't have it. She, Severus was sure, was a witch. It took him all of his courage to work up the nerve to tell her so, but she assumed that it was meant to be an insult. He would have never insulted her, but at the time he didn't know why.

When he was eleven, she meant everything to him. They would laugh and talk, oblivious to the stares that came from all around. A friendship such as theirs was nearly impossible to keep. She was a Gryffindor, he was a Slytherin. All the Gryffindors thought she was too _good_ for him. All the Slytherins thought she was below a Prince. Still, they would not, could not break away from each other. Her friendship meant too much to him to listen to the older kids who warned him she was not to be trusted, not to be meddled with. She ignored the warnings that one day he would break her heart. He would never do that to her, she knew it!

When he was twelve, he vehemently denied it when people asked him if he had sunk so low to have _feelings _for that pretty little Gryffindor with the tongue like a whip and hair to match. Slughorn shook his head sagely and laughed, always too involved in his student's lives. She was under fire from the other Gryffindors, who wondered why she still hung around him. She knew the wizarding world, now. She didn't need her dark little shadow watching her every move. Everyone thought she had used him, but they were wrong. She kept him around because she enjoyed his company, that was all.

When he was thirteen, he couldn't deny that they had been right, that he was head over heels for her. Lily Evans. Just hearing her name was enough for him to crack a smile, even if he rarely did it for anyone else. He swaggered straight up to the Ravenclaw boy three years up who insulted her Muggle parents and hit him right in the nose. He'd never forget the look on his face, even though it earned him a month's detention. She showed up every night for thirty solid days to help him polish the trophies in the trophy room at night, and when the plaque for Tom M. Riddle landed on him, she didn't laugh.

When he was fourteen, he still didn't tell her. He couldn't bear to think of the look on her face if she didn't like it, the sharpness of her voice as she told him to leave. In reality, she would have never been so cruel, but his imagination had always been far out of line. So he kept painfully silent, watching James Potter trying (and thankfully failing) to seduce her.

When he was fifteen, he made the ultimate mistake. He let the word he was so used to hearing leave his mouth. As soon as it did, his blood ran cold and he tried to apologize, but she wouldn't listen, couldn't listen. He tried, oh Merlin did he try. She wouldn't hear a word that came out of his mouth, and he was forced to retreat and leave her be.

When he was sixteen, he spent all of his nights laying stiff, trying to find the right words to say so that she would believe that he knew he'd made a mistake, believe he hadn't meant it. Every night he told himself he would do it tomorrow, she would listen to him. Every day, he turned the other way from her glare. It hurt to see the hate of someone he loved more than anything.

When he was seventeen, he truly lost her. She started seeing James Potter. It was the worst kind of revenge that Fate could have wrought on him. His best friend (the girl he loved) and the boy he hated smiling and laughing. She rolled her eyes at Potter like she used to at him and it _hurt_, far much more than he would ever admit.

When he was eighteen, he sunk into darkness. He got the Mark, the Mark she had told him never to get. She had trusted that he would listen to her advice, and he broke that trust, but what did that matter? He learned Dark curses he had never dreamed of, even invented a few of his own. They made Sectumsempra look like a Tickling Curse. The textbooks said the best thing for Dark curses was hate, but he knew better. It was a twisted form of love.

When he was nineteen, he fought in his first battle for the Dark Lord. It was long and bloody. He was terrified, but he was a good duelist, remaining on his feet no matter what they threw at him. Halfway into the battle, he met James Potter. They went after each other with ferocity, lasting much longer than any other battle going on. He finally had James pinned on the ground, but he could not cast the curse to end his life. He could not kill Lily's happiness. He spat out a poor retort and fled.

When he was twenty, he heard the news that Lily Evans was getting married. It shattered him. He kicked the wall when Avery told him, but the other assumed he was disappointed that Potter would waste his pure blood like that.

When he was twenty-one, he heard a prophecy. When he was twenty-one, he made a mistake. When he was twenty-one, he sent the Dark Lord after her, the only one he had ever loved. When he was twenty-one, she was killed in her own house, protecting her son. When he was twenty-one, his life ended.


	9. Genetics and Old Friends

**Character: Penelope Clearwater**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Trio**

**Summary: Penelope Clearwater is called in for her trial, and help may come from an unexpected corner. **

**Genetics and Old Friends**

"**An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so."**

**Mahatma Gandhi**

Penelope's fingers shook as she fiddled with her skirt. It had been absolutely terrifying over the past few weeks, watching Muggleborns being dragged away left and right, knowing it would be her next. In a way, it was a relief to know her time was up, but that didn't mean her heart had stopped pounding in her chest since she'd received the letter.

Paper rattling, she smoothed it down on her lap, taking deep breaths. Words had always calmed her, but these words would never make her feel better.

_Dear Miss Clearwater,_

_New studies have shown that the abnormality that calls itself "Muggleborn" or else "Mudblood" is not possible. Thus, you must attend a hearing at the Ministry of Magic this August the 30th. Your court summons is included._

_Dolores Umbridge_

_Head, Muggleborn Registration Committee_

_Ministry of Magic_

She curled her lip. Umbridge had always rubbed her the wrong way, and after she had graduated she had looked up laws regarding werewolves. It had made her utterly sick to know how the woman persecuted innocent people like Professor Lupin! To know that Umbridge would also be overseeing her own trial made her want to vomit. She had inquired about a lawyer, or any sort of jury, but no one would answer her questions. The injustice would have made her blood boil even if she hadn't been the one under fire!

"Miss Clearwater?" asked the bored looking man standing outside the courtroom.

Penelope walked past him with her head held high. No unjust court would ever make her walk in there like a criminal. She was Muggleborn, not a thief of magic! She sat down in the throne-like chair in the center of the room, and didn't let any emotion cross her face as the chains snaked around her arms.

"You are Penelope Elizabeth Clearwater, yes?" asked the horrid woman, staring down her pudgy nose at her.

"Yes," said Penelope, trying to keep her voice steady.

In one hand was her court summons. In the other, her argument. If they would not allow her a lawyer, she would do the job herself.

"Daughter to Emily and Carson Clearwater?"

"Yes."

"According to this," she said, rifling busily through the papers next to her, "your mother is a doctor, and your father a professor. Does he teach at Hogwarts?"

Penelope's knuckles whitened as she clenched her fists. Staring up at Umbridge with as much hate as she could muster, she answered.

"You know perfectly well that he isn't."

"Touchy, are we? Now, Miss Clearwater, this is your wand, correct?"

She dangled Penelope's wand over the edge of the podium she stood at. She strained almost unnoticeably at her chains. She had not been separated from her wand for this long since she was eleven years old, and the powerlessness she felt without it scared her.

"Yes," she hissed.

"That, Miss Clearwater, is a lie. This is not your wand. You stole it. From whom did you take this wand?"

"Gerrick Ollivander," explained Penelope, making her voice sound as if she were talking to a small child.

Umbridge's face darkened, and Penelope smirked. She made a game for herself. How many colors could Umbridge turn before Penelope was thrown in prison?

"You admit you stole it?"

"I admit I bought it."

"Miss Clearwater, your parents are Muggles."

"And here I thought they were purebloods!" she cried theatrically. "I've been lied to!"

Two colors, now. She was on a roll.

"Two Muggles cannot have a wizarding child!" shouted Umbridge.

It was Penelope's turn to rifle through her papers, albeit with difficulty.

"Actually, Madame, I have an answer to that question."

Craning her neck to read her own spindly handwriting, she began.

"I believe that the mutation otherwise known as the Muggleborn Mutation is, in fact, very possible. You see, it works just like any other gene. I expect you don't know much about genetics, do you?"

Umbridge sat in stunned silence.

"All right. Say you have two parents, each with green hair, but both of their great-grandparents have orange. When the parents have a child, it is very possible for the child to have orange hair, due to its recessive nature."

Silence, and Umbridge turned a third color.

"The gene is asleep in both of the child's parents, but it wakes up in the child because there were two sleeping genes, one from each parent, that woke each other up. It's the same with Muggleborns, but not quite. See, if that were the case, then there would be a lot more Muggleborns. I think several genes have to be turned on, per se, for the trait to surface."

"The best geneticists in the magical world have assured us otherwise, correct Percy?"

Penelope stared in utter horror at the man next to Umbridge. Percy Weasley, dotting his 'I' with a vindictive stab, looked up at the sound of his name.

"Yes," he said smoothly.

"Percy?" she asked, her voice breaking.

He didn't answer.

"Thank you for your time, Miss Clearwater. Escort her out, please," she said to the guard near the door.

Penelope flung herself with all of her might against the chains, but she couldn't break them, or even loosen them. Her genetics argument hit the ground.

"Percy, please!"

He wouldn't look up at her.

"Percy!"

No answer.

"PERCY!"

The chains on her loosened just as the man arrived, but Penelope hit him with a stray kick of her foot. Leaping to her feet, she managed to avoid the Stunner sent her way. She ran for the courtroom door, but it slammed shut.

"Come quietly, Miss Clearwater."

"Never," she snarled under her breath.

"Penelope, come on," said Percy, standing up.

She lunged for Umbridge, but was cut off by a jet of blue light shot from his wand. Instantly, her limbs became like jelly and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, unable to even lift her head. The guard took a step towards her, but Percy intervened.

"I'll take her. She's powerful, for a Muggleborn. I wouldn't put past her to break the curse and attack her captor. I'll look after her."

"Thank you," said Umbridge in relief.

She was scooped up into his arms, heard him mutter a Featherlight Charm, and he Apperated with a sharp crack.

Penelope felt the curse loosen its grip on her as they landed, but this wasn't Azkaban. It was a field, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. What were they doing with Muggleborns now?

"You were brilliant, Penny," he said quietly.

"What-?"

"Merlin, Penny, you don't think I'm so blinded by loyalty to the Ministry that I wouldn't notice when we were taken over by an evil dictator, do you?"

She shook her head silently with wonder. Percy scratched behind his neck rather sheepishly.

"I suppose you did. That's why you dumped me, after all."

"Percy—"

"Look, Penny, I'm not going to have this conversation right now. I'm trying to save as many as I can, but it's hard."

"You—you're rebelling against the Ministry?"

He gave a wry smile. "Never thought I'd see the day, but yes. By the way, your logic was flawed."

She crossed her arms. "All I know about genetics comes from one class period when I was ten."

He shook his head and handed her a small tent, shrunk down to fit in her palm.

"One thing, Penny. I never stopped caring about you."

His eyes were filled with pain, and for the first time since she'd broken up with him she felt regret."

"Percy—"

"Later, Penny."

He kissed her on the cheek and vanished with a crack, leaving Penelope wondering when her life had started getting complicated.

**I always thought it was depressing that fans love Sirius and hate Percy for doing the same thing: leaving their family because they thought that they were going down the wrong path.**

**Inspiration from this chapter came from the wonderful fanfic The Scarlet Pimpernel, by AMarguerite. I was entertained for quite a bit by this.**


	10. One Mistake

**Character: Salazar Slytherin**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Era: Founder**

**Summary: The beginning of the end of the friendship of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin.**

**One Mistake**

"**It's amazing how fast your best friend can turn into your mortal enemy in a matter of seconds."**

**-Unknown**

"Godric, you are a fool!" I cried, slamming my open palms down on his polished desk, making the candle splutter and plunging the room into darkness.

Godric flicked his wand at the candle as he stood up, instantly making me feel smaller. His easily could have overpowered mine, if we were come to blow. We both knew it wouldn't. I'd easily beat him in a duel if I were to draw my wand.

"In what way?" he rumbled in that deep voice of his.

"You know what I'm talking about," I said sharply.

I pulled a crumpled piece of parchment from my pocket. Godric calmly took it, and skimmed it.

"I don't know," he said. "It appears that Mr. Merlin was writing home."

"Oh, does it now?" I snarled, barely able to contain my anger. Godric may have been my best friend, but he could be an idiot at times. "It's not his sister he's writing to."

Godric stared down at the paper in shock, his mouth opening and closing. I raked my fingers through my hair. He walked over to the fireplace and knelt to place his head in the green flames.

"Helga? Rowena?"

Salazar found this letter from Mr. Merlin while searching the students' mail."

He handed the letter to Rowena, who held it close to her face. Helga stood on tiptoe to see over the taller woman's shoulder.

"He's writing a Muggle?" Rowena deduced after a moment of thought.

"I'll speak to him," offered Helga.

"_I _am his head of House."

"You'll be too harsh with him, Salazar," snapped Helga.

I took a step back. Helga rarely raised her voice.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You've been so anti-Muggle lately."

"We should have never let Muggleborns into Hogwarts," I spat.

"What happened to your daughter was a mistake anyone could have made," said Godric, strangely calm.

"She will never walk again, thanks to that," I said, voice rising with every word, "that….that…"

Rowena crossed the room in two long strides and laid a hand on my shoulder. I tried to move away, but she tightened her grip, as if to say, 'you don't' have a choice.' Typical Rowena.

"Back to the matter at hand, Salazar," she said, skillfully diverting the conversation. "We all agree Mr. Merlin deserves punishments. We can't have fifth years revealing that they go to a magical school to Muggles."

"He just needs to be told what he's doing is wrong. He's a boy, a child, really. He can't be expected to know everything," said Helga.

"A couple of detentions ought to set the boy straight," Godric suggested.

"I say we expel him."

Silence.

"That boy is the most brilliant thing to come through Hogwarts yet. I will not have you expel him," Rowena said coldly.

"He is endangering our kind!"

"Our kind?" Helga asked. "We are all human, Salazar. Muggle, wizard, what does it matter?"

"Have you forgotten what happened the last time we tried to come out of hiding?"

Helga flinched, but I plowed straight on. Her discomfort wasn't going to stop me.

"You lost John because of it."

She turned away from me, so I couldn't see her tears, but I could feel them, tangible in the air where the others could see. Rowena stepped away from me, eyes hard. She touched Helga's arm, but the other woman ripped away.

"That was a low blow, Salazar," Rowena said quietly.

"Even for you."

I rounded on Godric, magic nearly radiating off of me in my rage. His face was impassive, for once, and his mental shields were actually strong. As I grew angrier, he grew calmer, when it was usually the other way around.

"Muggleborns will bring destruction on this school," I hissed through clenched teeth, my fingers finding my wand.

"They will save us," said Godric, sliding his wand slowly and dileberately from the holster. "Our population was shrinking until we began to allow them in."

The window shattered from the force of all the magical tension in the room. Godric raised his wand, and I followed suit, ready to curse him.

"No," said Rowena, but it was too late.

Godric finally could not hold back his impulsive side, and he struck, sending a blue jet of light my way. I returned it.

"I'm not even trying," I taunted.

He struck again, but he couldn't hope to match my skills.

"Stop!" shrieked Helga, running out in between us.

The streak of blue light hit her straight in the chest. With a small 'oh', Helga collapsed on the floor. Rowena rushed to her side and lifted her head from the floor. I stared in horror at the scene in front of me, looking at the wand in my hand—the wand that had cursed her. Godric left her side and aimed a hex at me. I turned on my heel and closed the door just in time.

I ran from the room, past several students and to the dungeons. I never looked back.

That night, I started to create the Chamber of Secrets.

**Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews, all of you. **


	11. Speaking of Dragons

**Character: Padma Patil**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Trio**

**Summary: Ravenclaws are not revolutionaries. Then how did Padma Patil find herself in the midst of a rebellion?**

**Speaking of**** Dragons**

**"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion"  
**

**-Albert Camus**

Padma looked around the small group of assembled students. They were the only ones left to the Carrow's cruelty, after Neville and the others had escaped to the Room. The Carrows, with all their stupidity, would never suspect three Ravenclaws and two Hufflepuffs.

"We could just enter the Room with the others," suggested Susan tentatively. "I mean, we have nothing left to lose."

Padma chewed uncertainly on her lip, looking to Anthony. He had become a leader of sorts in the past week. On their own, the five had looked for someone to protect them, and Anthony, with his cool head and logical thinking had filled the position quite gladly.

"We can't just give up," he argued. "I mean, they're counting on us."

"Who, the students?" snapped Ernie. "We've done them far more injury than help. Remember Ann Morgan?"

Anthony's jaw clenched, almost unnoticeably.

The two Hufflepuffs couldn't tell anything was amiss, but Padma and Terry could. Anthony blamed himself for the little girl getting tortured. She had overheard him and Michael discussing the DA meeting and had decided that she wanted to attend a meeting as well. Michael was never the type to take responsibility, so Anthony had taken all the blame on himself. It hurt Padma to see her friend like this.

"Stop it, Ernie," she said.

The Hufflepuff flushed scarlet, but Padma paid him no mind.

"What do you want to do, Anthony?"

He ran his fingers through his dark hair. Padma felt an uncharacteristic surge of anger towards the Carrows. He was too young to have those dark circles under his eyes, or the slump of his shoulders that spoke of defeat and worry. They were all too young for this war, but was anyone prepared for something like this? Her fists clenched.

"I don't know anymore," he said, glancing around the grounds.

It was too cold to be late April. The harsh winds buffeted their shoulders. Susan drew her cloak tighter around herself, her eyes dull. Ernie moved protectively closer to her.

"Having fun?"

The words were simple enough, but the voice speaking them chilled Padma deeper than the wind had. She drew her arms around herself, as if she could hold the courage she desperately needed close to her swiftly beating heart.

It's a nice day," Terry said.

Anthony opened his mouth, but closed it with a wince. Terry calmly put his foot back on the ground-apparently he'd stepped on Anthony's foot to stop him from saying something stupid. Padma released a sigh of relief.

Alecto stared at them with the dullness in her eyes that made _any _Ravenclaw, even Mandy Brocklehurst, who believed that everyone craved knowledge want to scream. Padma cringed at the thought of her best friend. Who even knew where she was, rotting in Azkaban, getting cursed, tortured even? Mandy would have had a lot to say to Carrow, and she would be in deep trouble for it, but anywhere would be better than where she was right now!

"It's late," she said after a few minutes of deep thought.

Anthony smirked, but it turned to a grimace of pain again when Terry trod neatly on his foot.

"Yes, Professor," he said, barely managing to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "Thank you for stating the painfully ob—for Merlin's sake, quit it, Terry!"

Thankfully, Carrow didn't seem to grasp what exactly had been said, so Terry and Ernie were able to grasp Anthony by the elbows and almost drag him back into the castle. Susan and Padma raced after them.

"You," said Padma, "are a bloody idiot."

"I just want to do something," said Anthony in defeat as they made their way into the common room and then up into the boy's dormitory, where they spent most of their time.

Terry fiddled with the radio next to his bed, recoiling at the screeching sound it made as the knob passed a Muggle station.

"—and this, this is just incredible news, just in ladies and gentlemen, I can't believe it! Harry Potter and two companions, no doubt the infamous Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, have been spotted in Diagon Alley. Not in Diagon Alley, folks, above. Potter, Weasley and Granger have escaped from Gringotts on a dragon! Listeners, that brings us to the end of another Potterwatch. We'll have more information on this incredible story when we come back. We don't know when it will be possible to broadcast again, but you can be sure we shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials: the next password will be 'Seeker'. Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night."

The station faded away, and the earsplitting screeches resumed. Terry hastily shut it off. Anthony's eyes gleamed.

"Oh Merlin. You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" asked Padma.

"Oh yes."

Terry shook his head. "You are not going to announce to the school that Potter escaped Gringotts on a dragon. That will be me."

That was how the quietest Ravenclaw, the least likely person to do something as stupid as he did that day, Terry Boot, found himself yelling in the Great Hall about Dragons.


	12. Daddy, I'm Going to be an Auror

**Character: Lily Luna Potter**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Next Generation**

**Summary: Lily Luna Potter wants to be an Auror. Training will be something else.**

**Daddy, I'm Going to be an Auror**

"Dad!"

Lily raced down the steps, her feet pounding the hardwood on her way down. Harry emerged from the kitchen, his glasses fogged up from the steam caused by the chicken.

"Look!"

She appeared at his side and proudly presented the crisp paper to him. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and opened it.

"You got your NEWTs back?" he asked, turning it over to read.

**Lily Luna Potter **

**Gryffindor 7****th**** Year**

**Potions O**

**Defense Against the Dark Arts E**

**Transfiguration E**

**Herbology E**

**Charms O**

**Alchemy E**

**Arithmancy A**

**Ancient Runes E**

"I messed up the Arithmancy exam pretty badly," she admitted**.**

Harry blinked down at the results. Lily shot him a nervous glance. He wasn't disappointed, was he? They weren't as good as Albus's results, of course, but she'd beaten James by a _ton _of points!

"I," he said hoarsely, "am so proud of you. My little girl, all grown up."

Lily grinned, taking the paper and folding it up before she hugged him.

"Daddy, I'm going to be an Auror."

He paused, and held her out at arm's length. He worked his jaw, eyes narrowed.

"You're worried."

"It's dangerous work."

"You do it!" she protested.

He sighed, and hugged her tighter.

~o0o~

Lily would have recognized the curly blonde hair anywhere. King. Of course he would be a bloody Auror, why not? He noticed her at about the same time that she noticed her.

"Hello, Potter," he said smoothly.

One of his cronies, standing next to him, sniggered.

"Grow up, Wilson," she snapped. "Hello, King."

"Getting by on Daddy's name again, are we?"

Her hand twitched towards her wand, but she didn't see a reason to get herself thrown out of the program. It had taken a lot of work to get there in the first place.

"You wish," she told him. "Isn't that how you got in?"

Gerald King, Bradley's father, was one of the best Aurors in the division. Harry always complained about him, though. Apparently he was a loose cannon, often more danger to the others around him then to the Dark Wizards they were attempting to apprehend. Still, he was one of the most skilled ones they had, so they couldn't just let him walk away.

He threw her a dirty look, but he didn't have time to say anything, because a call came from up front.

"Oi! Listen up!"

Lily broke into a grin when she saw who had called. Harry had hinted at some of the senior Auror trainees leading the sessions, but he'd kept this secret!

"I'm Rose Weasley, and this is my soon-to-be partner Scorpius Malfoy, but for this training, we'll be Weasley and Malfoy, got it?"

She glared fiercely around the room, and even Lily was cowed by the venom in her cousin's stare. Rose's eyes landed on King, who had smirked at the sound of Scorpius's name. King squirmed a little.

"Now, let's start with—"

A crash resounded around the room and the wall to Lily's left exploded, bits of plaster flying everywhere. Rose took a hit to her skull and went down. Scorpius dove on her and shielded her from the rest before dragging her unconscious body to the side. Lily's heart leapt into her throat as a crowd of people clothed entirely in black surged into the room.

Everything was mass hysteria. With only one trained person in the room, most people were flinging themselves behind Scorpius, hindering his movements. Lily's eyes flicked around the room, assessing the situation. The steam of people didn't seem to stop, and she didn't have too much time left to think before she had to enter the fight.

"Reducto!" she yelled.

The ceiling tumbled to the ground, blocking the exit. King pounced in an instant, warding the blockade faster than she would have ever thought possible.

With the entrance blocked, the rest of the trainees regained their confidence and entered the battle, just in time for Rose to stand up.

"All right, hold your fire," she said.

The trainees kept dueling for a minute, but once it became appearent that the others weren't going to attack any time soon, they stopped.

"That was your first test."

Rose weaved through the crowd. Now that she was so close, Lily could see that she was completely uninjured. She wondered if Scorpius had known she was all right and the beginning was an act, or if his shielding of her was instinct.

Of the thirty trainees, Rose tapped five. Four had fled the room through the door they had entered, and one had hidden behind the doorframe and cried. They understood their dismissal and rose to leave, all blushing furiously.

"This is a hard program," Scorpius said, speaking up for the first time. "If you can't handle that, then you'd never be able to handle the real thing. My advice to you is to always have your guard up. You weren't expecting this. If it wasn't for some quick thinking on the part of your peers—" he nodded at King and Lily "—then you would have 'died.' As a great man once said 'Constant Vigilance.' You never know when the attack might come."

He and Rose moved through the crowd again, putting people into partnerships.

"Odds are, this person will be the one to have your back when you head out into field training three years from now," said Rose. "Potter, over here."

She pointed directly at King. Lily felt her heart stop.

"You two seem to work well together already."

"Rose—Rose, not him, not him he's the boy that—"

Rose turned to her, a rather icy glint in her eyes. "Lily, you reacted almost simultaneously, and I'd be surprised if that wasn't your next move."

Lily bit her lip. Warding the debris had, in fact, been her next idea for protecting the entrance.

"Scorpius and I are like that, too. We can anticipate each other. I'm not going to deprive you of a great partner because you're too wrapped up in a schoolchild rivalry."

Lily wandered over with a foul expression.

Three years later, they graduated top of their class.


	13. Madness

**Character: Bellatrix Black Lestrange**

**Challenge: Snakes and Ladders Challenge**

**Prompt: N/A**

**Era: Marauder**

**Summary: Bellatrix Lestrange is mad, and she likes it that way.**

**Madness**

"**Madness in great ones must not unwatched go."**

**-William Shakespeare, **_**Hamlet**_

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

_"Bella, you can't go outside now!"_

_"Come on, Cissy, don't be such a killjoy. It's just a little rain."_

"_She's right, Cissy, you're being a sissy," Andromeda agrees, and laughs at her pun._

_And so the three sisters link arms and step into the downpour, dancing and singing like they never will again, like the sky is falling in those little droplets of water. She feels so alive, the rain is tingling on her skin and is sweet in her mouth, and nothing, nothing could ever be better than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

"_Bella…I'm not marrying Rabstaban."_

_She feels fury at that, burning, crackling on her skin as her magic sweeps around her, but nothing could have prepared her for the sentence to come._

"_I'm marrying Ted Tonks."_

_And so she draws her wand and lunges for her sister's throat, striking like a viper, wanting to cause as much pain as possible. The Black family has not remained pure for this long to be sullied by a silly little girl! She feels so furious, the rage is all-consuming and all powerful. Her spells are stronger than ever, and nothing, nothing could ever make her angrier than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

"_Bella, it's too dangerous."_

_Cissy's voice is worried, she doesn't want her to get hurt, but Bellatrix knows this is the fight where she will prove herself._

"_I have to, Cissy."_

_And so she turns on her heel and vanishes into the night, where she joins her husband for the battle of a lifetime. She is radiant, glowing with the pleasure of it, with the sheer liquid grace of her movements. She feels so powerful, her magic dances across their skin and makes them scream with pain, beg for mercy. Nothing, nothing could ever make her happier than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

"_Bella, if you go into battle now, you'll lose the baby."_

_She knows this, but if she backs out now, the Dark Lord would think her a coward, and she'd never be Marked, never be accepted as one of them. She wants nothing more than to join their ranks, for people to cringe at the sound of her name. The sound of raw power. This is more important than any child._

_And so she goes, despite her sister's warnings and she fights like never before. They congratulate her. She is Marked, and hours later she stares at the lovely black pattern decorating her pale skin. She feels so triumphant, because she's reached for the position no woman had dared reach before. Nothing, nothing could ever make her prouder than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

"_Bella, you've lost her."_

_Her sister's voice is soft, gentle, and Bellatrix hangs her head. She has failed her duty to continue the Black line, but there is another feeling underneath the surface of her heart. Still, she keeps her chin up, and thanks her sister for the diagnostic._

_And so she retreats to one of the many bathrooms of the Manor and slumps to the ground. Tears make their way down her face, though she hadn't cried since she was a child. Sobs wrack her body and she can't think about tomorrow or the day after next because surely the world is ending, surely it can't go on without her daughter, the baby never born. She feels regret, because she'd been too foolish to heed her sister's warning, because something had been more important than her child. Nothing, nothing could ever cause her more pain than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad

"_Bellatrix, there's a prophecy, about a boy born at the end of July that can defeat the Dark Lord."_

_There are whispers throughout the inner circles of the Death Eaters, but still the Dark Lord does nothing. When she hears, there is ice in Bellatrix's veins, not only because her daughter should have been born in July, but because if the Dark Lord falls, she will have nothing._

_And so she goes about her daily life and doesn't ask questions. The Dark Lord vanishes that Halloween night and when she hears the news she rages. She tosses things across the room and nearly kills her husband with a jinx gone awry. She feels empty inside, unable to accept it. Nothing, nothing could make her more lost than this moment._

She is mad.

Mad, mad, mad.

"_Bellatrix, the Longbottoms know something."_

_It is a fool's errand, but she isn't thinking straight. All she knows is the loss tearing a hole in her heart from the daughter that never was and the leader that reigned then fell._

_And so she leads Rolphodus and Rabstaban and Barty to the Longbottom house where they torture Alice and Frank, both in her year in school and she laughs, the madness swallowing her. She feels crazy, and she likes the feeling of just letting herself go and not caring what happens. Nothing, nothing could ever make her more deranged than this moment._

She spends her years with the memories chasing themselves around her head in circles until they're so disjointed they aren't memories at all an she can't remember her own name and she thinks she'll die from it all and it's taking her over until…

Clarity.

She is free.

She laughs.

Oh yes, she is mad indeed.


	14. BoyWhoLived

**Boy/Who/Lived**

**"Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed, but win out in the end because they've stayed true to their ideals and beliefs and commitments."**

**-Kevin Costner**

Harry Potter _the/boy/who/lived _the _chosen/one._

Fate's whipping boy, the one in the cupboard under the

S

T

A

I

R

S

He wasn't always there, you know. He had a mamma with redredred hair and a papa with brightbrightbright eyes.

One fateful Halloween Night (and how poetic it is, for it's a night of darkness and fear, one of demons and Muggle superstitions) HE came.

HE had a problem. The little boy _the/boy/who/lived _{ah, but not yet, not then} was in his way.

_"Step aside, foolish girl!"_

A flash of light and those greengreen eyes were doused. A flash of light and Lily Potter was no more.

And little Harry Potter? _the/boy/who/lived/the/chosen/one_ ? Thrown away, tossed away, left on a doorstep.

Greeted by screams, treated with contempt.

TEN

YEARS

PASS

A dark night

{like the one that tore his parents from him}

But this time he's saved by

a bigbigbig man with wildwildwild curls and a loudloudloud laugh.

_"Yer a wizard, Harry!"_

And suddenly, it all makes sense

Landing on the kitchen roof

Turning his teacher's wig blue

His hair growing fast

The snake, talking back

It's not because he's a freak {quick, toss him under the stairs before the neighbors hear about the little Potter boy}

It's because he's special.

_the/boy/who/lived_

_the/chosen/one_

A _w/i/z/a/r/d_

And now he's got himself a magic wand {holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple}

And two best friends

He can face the world

{he might have a mortal enemy in _shh, shh, don't say his name _but he's free}

He will survive, victorious

Because that's what little heroes do.

But even though he's the

_boy/who/lived_

the

_chosen/one_

He's Harry.

His mamma's pride, his papa's joy

Just Harry.


End file.
